Lake County IN Archives Biographies.....Ackerman, William Wallace 1827 -
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Author: T. H. Ball (1904)
WILLIAM WALLACE ACKERMAN.
William Wallace Ackerman, whose farming interests, capably managed and
carefully conducted, result in bringing to him splendid success, is now living
retired in Lowell. He has attained the advanced age of seventy-seven years and
in the evening of life is enabled to enjoy a comfortable competence won through
his diligence and honorable dealing. He was born in Oakland county, Michigan,
February 24, 1827, and represents an old family of Holland-Dutch ancestry that
was established in New York in colonial days. His paternal grandfather, James
Ackerman, was born in Truxton, New York, and became one of the pioneer residents
of Michigan. John H. Ackerman, the father, was a native of Dutchess county, New
York, and there spent his early boyhood days. He, too, was one of those who
lived in Oakland when it was a frontier district, accompanying his parents on
their removal to the west. After arriving at years of maturity he married Ann
Wallace, who was born in New York and was a daughter of William Wallace, a
native of Connecticut. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. John H. Ackerman was
celebrated in the Empire state, and they located in Oakland county, Michigan,
about 1822, spending their remaining days there. His first home was a typical
pioneer house in the midst of an undeveloped region, where the work of progress
and improvement had scarcely been begun, and J. H. Ackerman did his full share
in paving the way for the further development of the county. He died at the age
of sixty-three years, having long survived his wife, who passed away in 1829. He
was twice married, his second union being with Miss Amelia Kyes, and to this
marriage were born seven children, while of the first marriage there were three
children.
William Wallace Ackerman is the youngest and the only one living of the
family born to John H. and Ann (Wallace) Ackerman. He was but a year and a half
old when his mother died. He started out in life for himself at the age of
eleven years, going to Erie county, Ohio, where he worked at any employment that
he could secure. There he remained until his nineteenth year, when his patriotic
spirit was aroused and he offered his services to the country then engaged in
war with Mexico. He enlisted in Company G, Third Ohio Regiment, under Colonel
Samuel R. Curtis, and was with the command for fourteen months as a private. On
the expiration of that period, as the country no longer needed his aid, he
returned to his home in Ohio, where he remained until the fall of 1848, when he
came to Lake county, Indiana.
Here Mr. Ackerman located a land warrant in West Creek township and began
the development and improvement of a farm. Later he sold that property and
bought another farm in the same township. Upon the second place he made
excellent improvements, but eventually he sold that and again purchased a farm
in West Creek township, which he still owns. Thus he has improved three farms in
the township, and his labors have resulted beneficially in the agricultural
development and progress of this portion of the state.
Mr. Ackerman was united in marriage in April, 1853, to Miss Mary Pulver, who
died leaving a family of seven children: John H. and Alonzo D., both deceased:
Theodore L.; William H., who has also passed away; Ida Ann; Jasper L.; and
Charles D. On the 9th of November, 1867, Mr. Ackerman was again married, his
second union being with Betsey Sanders Graves, the widow of William F. Graves
and the daughter of William and Emma (Harris) Sanders. She was born in West
Creek township, Lake county, Indiana, May 8, 1844, and her parents were pioneer
settlers of Lake county, coming to this state from Erie county, Ohio, in 1838.
They settled in West Creek township, where they reared their family of twelve
children, three of whom were born in this county. Mrs. Ackerman is the tenth
child and third daughter, and was reared in the place of her nativity and has
spent her entire life in Lake county. She had one son by her first marriage.
William M. Graves, and by the second marriage there are four children: Linden
S., now deceased; Vessie E.; Zada M.: and Zella A. Zada is a graduate of the
high school and has engaged in teaching for over three years. Vessie E. is the
wife of S. A. Mulliken, of Chicago. Zella is also a graduate of the Lowell high
school, was a student in Valparaiso College and was a teacher in the Valparaiso
kindergarten, and on June 15, 1904, was married to Otto DeRoy Mitchell, a
druggist in Eaton, Indiana. The following children are of the first marriage of
Mr. Ackerman: Theodore S. is extensively engaged in the raising of cattle in
South Dakota, where he owns a large ranch; Jasper is filling the position of
auditor in White county, Indiana; Charles D. is a builder and contractor of Los
Angeles, California; and Ida is the wife of S. S. Brandon, of Mobile, Alabama;
while William M. Graves, the son of Mrs. Ackerman, is a resident of Lowell.
Mr. Ackerman is the owner of four hundred acres in West Creek township and
also has property in Lowell. The farm is well improved, and he continued its
cultivation until 1881, when he removed to Lowell and engaged in the
agricultural implement business, continuing in commercial pursuits for eight
years. In 1889 he was appointed postmaster under President Harrison, and filled
that position for four years. Since the expiration of his term he has lived
retired from active business, save the supervision of his property. Mr. Ackerman
has always been a supporter of the Republican party since its organization, and
was county ditch commissioner for several years, during which time he did much
toward improving the county through the extension of its ditches. This drained
the land and, therefore, greatly increased its value. He takes an active and
helpful part in all measures which are of practical benefit in the community,
and is widely and favorably known throughout the county. He and his wife and
children belong to the Christian church. His career has ever been honorable and
straightforward. so that he enjoys in large measure the respect and confidence
of his fellow-men.
Additional Comments:
Extracted from:
ENCYCLOPEDIA
OF
Genealogy and Biography
OF
LAKE COUNTY, INDIANA,
WITH A COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY
1834—1904
A Record of the Achievements of Its People in the Making of a Commonwealth and
the Founding of a Nation.
REV. T. H. BALL
OF CROWN POINT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ILLUSTRATED
CHICAGO NEW YORK
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1904
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